Mystery continues over Kell Brook’s next opponent

Kell Brook (left) and Frankie Gavin in their IBF World welterweight title fight at the O2 Arena, London.

Published:17:00Thursday 16 July 2015Updated:08:44Friday 17 July 2015

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You’d think that after winning a major world title - a dream denied to all but a very exclusive club of boxers - that Kell Brook would have a pretty free rein in choosing his future opponents.

That’s not the way it works in boxing, where money talks, America is in charge and Floyd Mayweather’s influence seems to pervade all decision-making at the summit of the welterweight division.

As of this moment, it seems Brook, 29 will fight in his home city of Sheffield on October 24. That is 21 weeks after his humbling of Frankie Gavin - a long spell for a boxer who is desperate to make up for time lost after being badly injured on holiday in September.

Trainer Dom Ingle recognises the frustration, but has seen it happen before. “Boxing is unpredictable, it’s not like football with a fixture list, things are always up in the air” he says.

“It’s like being in a chain buying a house; Amir Khan is waiting for Mayweather, Kell is waiting for Khan, and so it goes on. Also it’s hard to get Americans to England - why should the IBF champion have to go to America?

“It’s a Catch 22. You concede money or venue - if you bring them over here you have to pay more and if you fight over there, you’re in their back yard.

“People think it would be easier after he won the title, a fight every 12 weeks, maybe, but it’s never like that. But as long as we know what’s happening eight weeks before his next fight, we’ll be alright.”

Ingle would love to see Brook take on WBO champion, Timothy Bradley, 31, who beat Wincobank gym-veteran Junior Witter in 2008. “That’s the ideal fight I’d like to see.”

The trainer thinks a showdown with Floyd Mayweather will not happen. “Floyd’s last fight will probably be like some kind of testimonial.

“Manny Pacquiao was supposed to be his hard fight but it wasn’t as Pacquiao didn’t turn up. And I don’t think Kell will get Keith Thurman.

“Brandon Rios apparently does not want to sign a re-match clause for Kell, so nobody knows who’s next.”